GreenInfrastructure
– RBA is a leader in the study, design, and implementation of green infrastructure across the Northeast –
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WHO WE ARE RBA is a multi-disciplined consultancy that brings together a vibrant group of creative professionals
including hydrologists, civil/structural engineers, architects, urban designers, landscape architects, and environmental
specialists. Our staff are:
– committed to environmental conservation;
– knowledgable in the regulatory process, for city and state agencies;
– fully versed in the latest sustainability and green infrastructure design practices.
We understand and are familiar with the requirements of the EPA, DEP, DEC, and the implementation of Long Term
Control Plans (LTCP) to control and reduce CSO flows with the aim to ultimately eliminates CSO’s.
CORE DISCIPLINES
Civil Engineering
Structural Engineering
Landscape Architecture
Water Resources
Environmental Engineering
Architecture
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Brooklyn Navy YardSince 2009, RBA has designed and managed the redevelopment of all subsurface infrastructure within this 300+ acre industrial facility in Brooklyn.
Installment of stormwater BMP’s and reduction of CSO volumes were key aspects of all roadway and parking lot reconstruction. The Navy Yard’s industrial character and high water table posed special challeng-es in meeting stormwater reduction goals. RBA was able to meet these goals through the use of shallow stormwater management practices.
The permeable paver system used was designed to achieve a superior lock-up that can withstand even the heaviest commercial loads.
The permeable asphalt pavement system achieved a high void ratio by using a larger aggregate and a considerable stone recharge basin that both supports the heavy vehicle loads and provides a significant storage capacity for stormwater.
Permeable Asphalt – Brooklyn Navy Yard Infrastructure Improvements, BROOKLYN, NY
DESIGN SERVICES
Permeable Pavements
Underground Storage Systems
Rain Gardens
NYCDEP Green InfrastructureDEP is currently developing Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Long Term Control Plans (LTCPs) for affected waterbodies per the Clean Wa-ter Act (CWA) and recently Amended Consent Order signed in March of 2012 with the New York State Department of Environmental Conserva-tion (DEC). DEP’s intent is to use green infrastructure in order to meet water quality standards.
The NYCDEP, through NYCEDC, has selected RBA to provide design and engineering services for green infrastructure in the Jamaica Bay com-bined sewer tributary area.
THE RBA TEAM WILL
Evaluate specific locations using GIS & record maps
Analyze impervious tributary area to man-age 1” of runoff
Conduct Topographic Surveys
Perform Soil Borings and Permeability Testing
Prepare Construction Documents for the installation of 500+ Bioswales.
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Plaza De Las AmericasDOT works with selected not-for-profit organizations to create neighborhood pla-zas throughout the City to transform under utilized streets into vibrant, social pub-lic spaces. The NYC Plaza Program is a key part of the NYC’s effort to ensure that all New Yorkers live within a 10-minute walk of quality open space. Plaza De Las Americas is a part of DOT’s Plaza Program, and an integral component of PlaNYC.
The plaza design features a completely permeable pavement surface similar to the one used at the US Cellular Field Parking Lot in Chicago. We have also integrated a Silva Cell modular suspended pavement system that uses soil volume to provide urban trees the space they need for healthy roof systems that supply powerful on-site stormwater management through absorption, evapotranspiration, and interception.
2013 ACEC New York - Silver Award
Nassau County Community CollegeRBA designed a 20 acre/1400 car ‘green’ parking lot and connecting roadways that incorporate the use of permeable pavers, bio-retention swales, rain gardens, LED light fixtures, raised planted islands, and dec-orative pedestrian crosswalks, mixed-in-place recycled base course.
THIS PROJECT IS
The Largest Applica-tion of Bioretention Swales in NY State
A Showcase for Sustainable Parking on Long Island
An Integration of Complete Streets, Green Infrastructure & Context Sensitive Design Principles
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NYCDOT Permeable Pavement Retrofit on Urban RoadwaysStreets makeup over a quarter of the city’s impervious land area. The NYCDOT is looking to capitalize on this available real estate, by studying ways to incorporate porous pavements into the city’s fabric and complementing DEP programs to further reduce the overland runoff and the burden on the combined storm sewer system.
The NYCDOT has asked RBA to study, analyze and develop standard details for porous pave-ment retrofits that can be installed by the city’s in-house maintenance staff.
THIS WORK WILL INCLUDE
Methodologies for evaluating hydraulic site conditions
Evaluation of Porous Friction Courses (PFCs)
Details for modifying the existing roadway to allow drainage
One-year monitoring of installations
Green Infrastructure – PhilosophyOur philosophy on green infrastructure is to focus on small dis-crete projects at the source of the pollution instead of large capi-tal projects. Source controls express the underlying philosophy that it is more cost-effective to prevent pollution than to treat it.
The effectiveness of a decentralized system depends upon the aggregate, cumulative effect of the many small-scale source control projects. The key to continuously reaping long term ben-efits from these small systems is ongoing low cost maintenance.
Bronx ZooIn 2004, the Bronx Zoo developed a master plan to govern future devel-opment of the Zoo as a world class destination. One of the key goals of the plan was to restore and rejuvenate self-sustaining landscape pro-cesses (hydrology, wildlife, native vegetation, nutrient/energy flows, regional connectivity) within the context of this urbanized region. Spe-cifically the goal entailed reducing storm water runoff, and restoring the morphology, aquatic habitat and water quality of the Bronx River.
As part of the redevelopment of the Bronxdale parking facilities and main entrance to the zoo, RBA has made the goal of sustainable design a reality. The design includes a series of bio-swales and underground recharge structures to reduce overland storm water flow and outfall volumes, and thereby improve the water quality of the Bronx River.
RBA is preparing a full drainage analysis and plan, and is coordinating its effort with NYCDEC and the ACOE. The bio swales were designed with native plantings of the Bronx as approved by the NYCDPR and to recent guidelines as outlined by the NYCDEP Green Infrastructure Plan.
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Delaware Riverfront TrailThe Delaware River Waterfront Corporation (DRWC) is a nonprofit corporation that designs, develops and manages the central Delaware River waterfront in Philadelphia between Oregon and Allegheny Avenues. DRWC intends to transform the central Delaware River waterfront into a vibrant destination location for recreational, cultural, and commercial activities for the resi-dents and visitors of Philadelphia.
RBA has completed conceptual design plans for the Delaware River Trail from Mifflin Street to Le-high Avenue along Delaware Avenue/Columbus Boulevard. The plans include design guidelines for the entire trail, which will incorporate sustainable design features and green infrastructure. RBA completed final design for the first part of the Delaware River Trail: the Penn Street section, which runs from Spring Garden Street to the Sugarhouse Casino. The Penn Street Trail, which is now open, features a continuous rain garden that intercepts stormwater runoff and green inlets to capture and treat runoff that would flow into the city’s combined sewer system. The trail also features solar-powered lighting.
Spence SchoolThe Spence School is a private all-girls school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The school is undergoing some major renovations to update their existing infrastructure and achieve LEED Gold status from the USGBC. RBA prepared a feasibility study for the school on the in-stallation of a Green Roof on their new facility. Based on the feasibil-ity study The Spence School decided to incorporate a green roof into the renovation. RBA developed construction documentation (plans, specifications, and estimate) for the construction of the green roof. The green roof includes both extensive and intensive green roof areas, as well as outdoor seating with custom built planters and furniture. RBA also assisted in the design for an outdoor teaching classroom with custom designed planters and furniture. RBA is working in close partnership with the school staff and the student committees, who are involved in selecting the plant material for the green roof. RBA will pro-vide further assistance to the school during installation.
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Bryan ParkAs part of the New York City’s PlaNYC Plaza program, RBA was hired to redesign an existing under utilized park located at the intersection of Fordham and Kingsbridge Roads in the Bronx.
We redesigned the park with sensitivity to preserve existing trees, pro-viding an array of public amenities centered on the creation of a new sustainable bi-level park/plaza space. The proposed design combines both the impervious park plaza and a stretch of under-utilized asphalt roadway to double the size of the park. The entire area was paved with a combination of permeable pavers, rain gardens, and large tree pits. The project is currently under construction and when complete will be the first plaza built under the DOT Plaza Program where 100% of the plaza is converted to a pervious surface.
LINDA REARDON, PE Ms. Reardon has 28 years of experience in the planning and design of site/civil engineering projects with a focus on urban infrastructure. She has managed and designed numerous street and highway reconstruction projects for city and state agencies. Her strength is completing large-scale urban streetscape projects that integrate technical, aesthetic and sustainability design goals. Ms. Rear-don has built a reputation for high quality designs that are buildable and respectful of project intent. She has extensive knowledge of agency procedures as required to secure and expedite project approvals. Recently, Linda has worked to implement green infrastructure initiatives for a variety of clients and locales including Brooklyn Navy Yard, Delaware River Waterfront Corporation, NYCDOT and others. Ms. Reardon has a personal commitment to sustainable design, and has served as techni-cal advisor on several recent green infrastruc-ture projects undertaken by RBA.
JOSEPH MENZER, PE Mr. Menzer has over 17 years of diverse experience in civil and site engineering with a specific focus on sustainable design and best manage-ment practices. His broad range of planning and design experience encompasses all facets of design and analysis for roadways, parks, plazas, utilities, retaining walls, and waterfront facilities in New York City. Mr. Menzer directs a staff of civil, structural, water resource and traffic engineers. He has managed NYC infrastructure projects
with agencies including DDC, DOT, EDC and DEP . He has a stellar reputation for deliver-ing projects to clients satisfaction on budget and within schedule. As a result, many clients turn to RBA when projects are on an expedited timeframe. Mr. Menzer has managed several award-winning projects including an ACEC Platinum award for Brooklyn Navy Yard Infra-structure rehabilitation.
ELISA TSANG, PE Ms. Tsang has managed and implemented innovative stormwater management practices for redevelopment projects using infiltration basin design, rain gardens, and bio-retention filtration systems on national and international retail expan-sion projects. She also designed projects in compliance with current Phase II National Pollution Discharge Elimination System regulation. She has obtained the necessary environmental permitting and agency ap-provals for rain gardens constructed as part
of RBA’s design for rain gardens and green inlets along the Delaware River Trail in Philadelphia.
THEO PRINCE, PE Mr. Prince brings thirteen years of civil engineering experience, special-izing in water resources, storm water man-agement and modeling, site development, grading and green infrastructure design. His background in surface water system analysis and design, hydrologic and hydraulic model-ing, GIS-based analysis, and floodplain map-ping has proved invaluable in his work, which has included the award winning Prospect Park Lakeshore Improvements. Mr. Prince has been involved in a number of site develop-ment and street reconstruction projects, including large scale parks, transit and sporting complexes gaining an in-depth knowledge of DEP, DPR, DOT, and DOB specifications and design criteria for compliance.
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T h e R B A G re e n I n f ra s t r u c tu re Tea m
www.rbagroup.com
NEW YORK
27 Union Square West New York, NY 10003 212.741.8090
LONG ISLAND
40 Marcus Drive Melville, NY 11747631.891.3200
PHILADELPHIA
1315 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 215.751.1133
CONNECTICUT
20 North Main Street Norwalk, CT 06854 203.956.0512
NEW JERSEY
7 Campus Drive, Suite 300 Parsippany, NJ 07054 973.946.5600